SEO has always been a strategy game, but AI-powered search has flipped the board entirely. The rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – the new term for optimizing content for GPT-powered search engines – is forcing marketers to rethink everything they know about SEO.
While Google and Bing still dominate search, generative AI models like SearchGPT, Perplexity AI, and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) rapidly change how search works.
And here’s the truth: Nobody knows how to rank in AI-driven search yet.
❌ There are no official analytics for SearchGPT.
❌ Traditional SEO strategies don’t directly apply.
❌ The algorithms are constantly evolving and often unpredictable.
Despite this, some early studies and industry reports are beginning to shed light on patterns and best practices. So, instead of speculating, let’s break down:
✔ Why AI search is fundamentally different from traditional SEO.
✔ What we do know about ranking in SearchGPT and other AI search models.
✔ How to adapt your SEO strategy for AI-powered search.
SearchGPT Usage vs. Google and Bing
SearchGPT may be getting a lot of hype, but Google still dominates the search engine market.
📌 As of late 2024, Google holds approximately 91.04% of the global desktop search market share.
📌 Bing captures around 10.5%, largely due to its Microsoft Edge and Windows integration.
📌 SearchGPT, while growing, is still in its early stages compared to these giants.
However, SearchGPT’s impact shouldn’t be underestimated:
💡 ChatGPT (the platform behind SearchGPT) attracts around 260.2 million monthly visitors, with 100 million active weekly users. (Source)
💡 8% of respondents in a recent survey now choose ChatGPT as their primary search engine, up from 1% in June 2024. Google’s preference dropped from 80% to 74% during the same period. (Source)
So, while Google remains the dominant search platform, AI-driven search is carving out a growing market share – and will only expand.
How AI Search Works Differently from Google SEO
Before discussing strategy, let’s examine how AI-powered search engines differ from Google’s traditional algorithm.
Google SEO relies on:
✅ Keywords & Relevance – Matching search intent with optimized content.
✅ Backlinks & Authority – Websites with high-quality backlinks are prioritized.
✅ User Signals – Google measures bounce rates, dwell time, and clicks to determine content quality.
✅ E-E-A-T – Google prioritizes Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness in its rankings.
AI Search (SearchGPT, Perplexity, SGE) operates differently:
🤖 Generates direct answers instead of just ranking pages.
🤖 Uses multiple data sources, including structured data, knowledge graphs, and real-time web content.
🤖 Doesn’t rely on traditional ranking signals like backlinks.
🤖 Prioritizes trusted, high-authority sources over independent websites.
Instead of showing “10 blue links”, AI search engines synthesize an answer from multiple sources, often without providing any direct link to your website.
This fundamentally changes how we think about SEO – and why traditional tactics won’t guarantee visibility in AI-generated results.
What We Do Know About Ranking in SearchGPT
While there’s no official ranking system for AI search yet, research has uncovered some key factors that may improve visibility:
1) Citing Your Sources Helps AI Trust Your Content
AI search models are programmed to avoid misinformation, prioritising well-cited, fact-based content.
✅ Instead of: “AI search is growing fast.”
✅ Better: “AI search usage could grow at around 35% per year from 2025 onward, according to Forbes.”
Adding citations, footnotes, and external links increases credibility, boosting your chances of being cited in AI search responses.
2) AI Prefers Expert Commentary & Verified Insights
SearchGPT and Google’s SGE favour expert commentary over generic blog content.
✅ Example: “According to AI expert Dr Jane Smith, ‘Generative AI search is still in its infancy, but citations play a crucial role in credibility.’”
Websites that link to expert bios, credentials, and author pages may perform better in AI search results.
3) Structured Data (Schema Markup) May Boost AI Search Visibility
AI search models process structured data more effectively than unstructured content.
🔹 Use schema markup to label content as articles, FAQs, products, etc.
🔹 Add author markup to establish expertise and authority.
🔹 Use meta descriptions that match user intent.
Google already encourages structured data, and AI search may follow suit.
4) Conversational, Question-Based Content May Perform Better
Instead of short-tail keywords, AI search queries tend to be full sentences.
✅ Instead of: “Best running shoes”
✅ AI users ask: “What are the best running shoes for beginners?”
Creating FAQ sections and answering direct questions may improve AI search visibility.
The Bing-SearchGPT Connection
A major study by Seer Interactive analyzed over 500 SearchGPT citations and found that:
📌 87% of SearchGPT’s citations matched Bing’s top 20 organic search results.
📌 Google results only matched 56% of SearchGPT citations, with an average ranking of 28.
This confirms that Bing has a much stronger influence on SearchGPT’s search results than Google. (Source)
💡 Takeaway: If you want to improve your visibility in AI search, optimizing for Bing should be a priority.
How to Adapt Your SEO Strategy for AI Search
Instead of chasing AI SEO hacks, focus on proven content strategies that align with how AI models work.
✔ Optimize for Bing – SearchGPT citations heavily rely on Bing’s search results.
✔ Use Structured Data & Schema Markup – AI search models process structured content more effectively.
✔ Cite Sources & Use Expert Commentary – AI prefers content that references authoritative sources.
✔ Write Conversational, Question-Based Content – AI search mimics how people ask questions.
✔ Find Your Niche & Build Authority – AI search may favour experts in specific fields over general content.
Should You Worry About SearchGPT?
🚫 No, you shouldn’t stress about “ranking” in AI search yet.
✅ Yes, you should focus on creating high-quality, well-cited, expert-driven content.
The future of search is shifting, but credibility, expertise, and user value will always matter—whether it’s for Google, Bing, or AI-powered search engines.
Let’s talk if you’re navigating the ever-changing world of AI search and SEO!
📩 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Steven Morey
📞 Need expert advice? Contact our team.
Let’s figure this out together! 🚀
